10 STEM Programs for High School Students in NYC
As a high school student in New York City, you can enhance your academic profile and strengthen your college applications by participating in STEM programs. These programs typically provide hands-on experience with advanced technology, exposure to real-world problem-solving, and opportunities to work alongside professionals and like-minded peers.
Each program offers unique opportunities to deepen your knowledge, develop critical skills, and connect with mentors in various scientific fields! This is something that can come in handy while drafting your essay, and college interview notes, as well as while prepping for the SAT!
To help you find the perfect fit, we’ve compiled a list of 10 STEM programs for high school students in NYC.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,990 (12-week program), $5,900 (16-20 week program), $8,900 (6-12 month program). Financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: The upcoming winter cohort deadline is November 24, 2024. Apply here.
Program Dates: December 16, 2024 onwards
Eligibility: All high school students
Founded by researchers at Harvard and Oxford, Lumiere is a program for high school students to produce university-level research papers. Each student is paired with a top PhD student and receives 1-1 coaching from their mentor.
There is a wide range of subjects to choose from, including STEM fields like data science, chemical engineering, computer science, and medicine. The programs are fully virtual and vary in duration based on the student’s end goal.
Location: Virtual
Cost:
$2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program
$5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
$6,900 for both
Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Winter cohort deadline - December 1, 2024
Program dates: Various according to the cohort
Program selectivity: Moderately selective
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Application Requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions about the student's background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs tailored for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. The fellowship encourages students to explore interdisciplinary approaches, enabling them to merge AI with various fields such as finance, medicine, sports, environmental science, and more! You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: September 25, 2024 for the fall cohort
Program Dates:
Fall seminar: October 23, 2024 – February 19, 2025
Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a few tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research.
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research, you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects and college applications. Apply here!
Location: The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost: Free, MetroCard and need-based travel stipend available
Application Deadline: January 5, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: June 24 – August 8, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program
At the Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP), you will participate in scientific research as part of a team led by experienced Rockefeller trainees. Each team, consisting of about 8 SSRP scholars, is guided by a trainee team lead with additional support from scientist-mentors.
You will work in your team’s space within the RockEDU lab, focusing on a project that matches both the team lead's expertise and your scientific interests. During the first week, you will be introduced to your team's topic and become familiar with essential research techniques and laboratory norms. By the second week, you will choose a specific research question within the team's topic to explore further.
Under the guidance of your team leader and scientist-mentors, you will delve deeply into this question, using the research techniques you've learned to gather and analyze data. For participants’ holistic development, the program also includes elective scientific courses, guest lectures, and social events.
Location: Main Campus of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY
Cost: Free; $1,200 stipend provided
Application Deadline: Applications for 2025 will open in December 2024
Program Dates: June 30 – August 22, 2025 (8 weeks)
Eligibility: Students must meet the following criteria:
Live in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut within 25 miles of campus
Currently enrolled as a high school junior
Legally authorized to work in the United States
14 years or older by June 2025
3.5 GPA in science subjects
At the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's Summer Student Program, you'll delve into biomedical and computational research through an 8-week internship. With a 2% acceptance rate, this program is highly competitive. Each participant is paired with a mentor, who will provide guidance and supervision throughout the internship. In addition to scientific training, the program offers tours of MSKCC's cutting-edge facilities and training sessions.
This program combines laboratory or computational-based research projects with various enriching activities, including journal clubs, luncheons with principal investigators, team-building exercises, and social networking sessions. The summer program concludes with a poster session where you will present your research project to faculty, family, and friends.
Location: New York University campus
Cost: Free; $750 stipend provided
Application deadline: March 6, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program dates: June 3 – August 9, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: New York City high school students currently enrolled in the 10th or 11th grade
The NYU ARISE program, hosted by the Tandon School of Engineering, is a tuition-free, 10-week summer program that introduces you to research in fields such as biomedical engineering, civil and urban engineering, and mechanical and aerospace engineering. The program begins with four weeks of remote after-school workshops in June, followed by six weeks of hands-on lab work.
In addition to developing research skills, ARISE provides specialized training in presentation skills and public speaking. This research program concludes with a colloquium, where you will present your research findings to NYU faculty, graduate students, fellow ARISE participants, academic experts, and your family and friends.
Check out this ultimate guide to NYU ARISE!
Location: American Museum of Natural History, New York
Cost: Free; $2,500 stipend provided
Application Deadline: March 8, 2024
Program Dates: August 2025 – June 2026
Eligibility: You must be in the 10th or 11th Grade and pass your classes for the last three or more semesters. You must also meet the requirements listed here.
The Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP) at the American Museum of Natural History offers a fantastic opportunity to participate in groundbreaking research projects alongside museum scientists. You'll explore diverse topics such as the genetic behaviors of ogre-faced spiders and astrophysical methods for determining the mass of stars.
In this program, you'll learn practical laboratory techniques, including data analysis with advanced software like Python and R, and the critical evaluation of scientific literature. For the 2024-2025 school year, there was a special focus on integrating Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into scientific research at the museum.
Beyond technical skills, SRMP also emphasizes the development of communication, presentation, and writing abilities. You will meet in person during August and spend four hours each week on your research project during the school year. The year ends with a symposium in June, where you’ll present your findings to mentors, teachers, and parents.
Location: Columbia University campus
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: September 15, 2024 for the academic year program; April 15, 2025 for the summer program
Program Dates: November 2, 2024 – May 17, 2025, for the academic year; July 8 – August 2, 2025, for the summer (tentative, based on the 2024 summer program)
Eligibility: Students must:
Be in 7-12th grade
Meet the criteria for economically disadvantaged, or African American, Hispanic/Latino, Alaskan Native, or American Indian available here
Maintain at least an 80% grade average, particularly in math and science
The State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP) is designed for 7th to 12th graders aspiring to careers in medicine or related STEM fields. S-PREP aims to increase representation and improve educational pathways for historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students in mathematics, science, technology, health-related fields, and licensed professions.
The program offers a summer session and an academic year session conducted on Saturdays. During the summer session, classes are held Monday to Friday throughout July, covering a wide range of subjects from anatomy to statistics. The program also offers PSAT and SAT preparation courses, career development workshops, college and academic counseling services, and enrichment opportunities such as field trips and college tours.
Location: Baruch College, City University of New York
Cost: Free; $1,575 stipend provided
Application Deadline: Applications for 2025 will open in mid-October and be due in December
Program Dates: Spring course: January – May 2025; Research program: July – August 2025
Eligibility: Must be a current NYC Public High School 10th or 11th grader with an overall 80+ average
The Baruch College STEM Research Academy is a two-semester program designed for NYC public high school students. In the spring semester, students enroll in a college-credit research methods course that equips them with essential scientific inquiry skills, such as formulating research questions, designing experiments, and performing literature searches. 25 students are selected each year.
Students who complete this course are eligible for a six-week summer research internship under the guidance of CUNY research faculty. The program aims to develop a deep understanding of scientific principles, familiarize students with research environments, and enhance the skills critical for success in science. At the end of the summer, you will make a team presentation on your research findings at the CUNY STEM Research Exhibition and the NYC Science Research Mentoring Consortium Summer Symposium.
10. NYU GSTEM
Location: New York University campus
Cost: $5,300 tuition + $3,702 housing and meal plan, financial aid for tuition available
Application Deadline: April 15, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: July 1 – August 9, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Current high school juniors
NYU GSTEM is dedicated to introducing you to scientific research, mentorship, and a broad peer network, with a focus on girls and other groups underrepresented in STEM. The program begins with a week of orientation, followed by five weeks of intensive research guided by a STEM mentor. You will work on a specific research project, such as the effect of caffeine on selective attention in speech perception or detecting motion in digital images. Each year, 40 students are selected for GSTEM.
In addition to research, NYU GSTEM offers field trips to locations like the Museum of Math, Google, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, providing valuable insights into the real-world applications of STEM in various fields. You have the chance to meet prominent women in STEM and learn from their experiences. The program also includes workshops in scientific writing and presenting, equipping you with the skills needed to communicate your research findings on Symposium Day.
Here’s everything you need to know to get into NYU GSTEM!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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